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Thousands line up to honor slain N.Y. firefighters

WEBSTER, N.Y. -- Of the hundreds of first responders who waited outside in the snow Saturday, most had probably never met Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka. No matter. They were brothers just the same.

WEBSTER, N.Y. -- Of the hundreds of first responders who waited outside in the snow and shuffled through the halls of a local high school Saturday, most had probably never met Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka.

It didn't matter. They were brothers just the same.

"It's family," said Rich Jordan, chief of the Fairville Fire Department in Wayne County. "No matter where you are, if you're a fireman, it's family anywhere in the country."

Officials estimated anywhere between 4,000 and 6,000 people attended the first three hours of the second day of the wake for Chiapperini, 43, and Kaczowka, 19, volunteer firefighters who were fatally shot on Christmas Eve on in Webster.

Police say William Spengler Jr. set a fire to lure first responders and then shot four, killing two, before killing himself.

Many of those waiting in line Saturday to pay their respects were fellow emergency personnel from New York and Canada. They waited for hours in navy blue police suits, beige state trooper hats and military camouflage.

They were brought in by ambulance, then transported back to a hospital, where they are both listed in satisfactory condition.

The first wake was held Friday night, and thousands gathered to remember the victims of Monday's tragic shootings.

Chiapperini's funeral service will be held Sunday, and a Mass for Kaczowka will be celebrated Monday.

The line on Saturday snaked through the hallways of the high school and out the door, into the snow. As visitors waited hours to pay tribute to the fallen firefighters for just a moment, volunteers offered water bottles, mints, tissues and hand warmers.

Some of the fire and police departments conducted quick ceremonies in the gymnasium, saluting the flag-draped caskets. More than 200 members of the Rochester Fire Department lined up to salute the caskets.

"It's important that we support our own, and that's why we're here," said Don Trzepacz Sr., chief of Spring Brook Fire Department, in Elma, near Buffalo.

He drove about two hours with four other members of his department to pay respects. Five more were expected to make the trip after them.

"It's a brotherhood. We all stick together. We all support each other," he said.

Some said they were shocked and disgusted to hear of the events Monday.

"You lose firefighters in fires every day," said Allen Mann, chief of the Cobourg Fire Department in Canada. "That's part of the job, you accept that when you sign up. You don't sign up for this."

Mann drove about five hours with two other neighboring fire departments, from Baltimore and Bewdley.

In Walworth, Wayne County, Fire Chief John O'Toole said he was in disbelief when he first heard about Monday's tragedy.

"You head up to the firehouse and you talk to everybody else that's up there," he said. "You just start talking."

He said it's hard to pin down whether firefighters' jobs would change based on the incident.

"You look and see what are the lessons learned," he said. But in this case, there's not many adjustments to be made, he said.

Jordan, from Fairville, said he thinks law enforcement might be sent out with fire personnel more.

But at the end of the day, the firefighters are thinking about one thing, he said — putting out the fire.

"The fastest you can get in on that fire for a call is the most important time, the first 15 minutes," he said. "It's almost impossible to pull up and wait for a search to be done of the area or anything."

His assistant chief, Nick Loomis, agreed.

"You've got one thing on your mind and that's where the flames are," he said. "All any chief wants is every guy to come home after the call."

Fire fighters wait in line to get into the school during the calling hours for Lt. Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka at Webster Schroeder High School Saturday afternoon, December 29, 2012.(Photo: Kris J. Murante, Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle)